Friction clutch



il 26 1927. Apr H. v. REED FARICTION CLUTCH Filed May 15. 1926 Il l========il Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

l HAROLD v. REED, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNOR 'ro THE BORG a or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

Application led May 15, 1926. Serialv N0. 109,224.

This invention relates to friction clutches and its object is to simplify `and improve the construction by dispensing with the bearing cup and providing the fingers of the clutch l release yoke with bearings to engage the release sleeve.

A further object of the invention is to mount the bearings in the fingers in the clutch release yoke so that they will adjust themselves to make efficient contact with the clutch release sleeve and wear evenly and seat firmly and fully in the lingers.

Further objects of the invention will appear in the detail description of a selected 5 embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 shows the invention embodied in an automotive friction clutch.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 of Flg. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of,

one of the bearings.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Flg. 1.

Referringto the drawings 5 is the clutch release sleeve, 6 is thev cover plate, 7 is the cam ring, 8 is the driven plate and 9 is the fiy-wheel mounted on the crank shaft or drivin shaft. A clutch release yoke 10 Operatedy a lever 11 has two lingers 12 which carry the bearings 13. The fingers are each provided with a curved recess 14 which forms a seat for the curved back face 15 of the bearing, this face being located between guide fianges 16 at the sides thereof to engage the sldes of the finger. The bearing is held in position on the finger by a spring 17 bent to U form and having one arm 18 seated in an Opening 19 in the bearing, and its other arm 20 engaged with a recess21 in the finger, these arms being bent to make frictional engagement with the parts which they engage.

The front face 13 of the bearing 13 is flat to make contact'with the release sleeve 5 and the two bearings have sufficient contact area to operate the release sleeve without the necessity of providing the usual bearing ring. Thus I am enabled to dispense with the relatively large bearing ring as well as with the cup which has heretofore been employed for holding the bea-ring ring because -I have found that the two bearing blocks as hereindescribed will be sutlicientand antiorl, and means holding said lbe occasioned by operation of the yoke and Thus the bearing block may always sleeve. have full contact with the sleeve in operation and it may adjust itself relative to the finger for providing this full contact by sliding in the seat 14. This providesfor an automatic adjustment of the'bearing in its seat in the linger to enable full contact vof the bearing with the sleeve under operating conditions. y

The bearings 13 are made in the form of blocks of graphite or other suitable antifriction material. f

I have shown the invention in a form tical uses, but there are many varieties of friction clutches and yokes and some changes in the form and construction of parts may be necessary to adapt the invention thereto.

Therefore, I reserve the right to make all BECK COMPANY, y

' 75 which I have found satisfactory for prac such changes in the invention as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims. I claim:

1. In a friction clutch, the combination of a release yoke yhaving a and a bearing mounted on said finger l a release sleeve, finger, to engage said sleeve, said bearing being resiliently held in position and automatically adjustable relative to the finger.

2. In a friction clutch, the combination of a release sleeve, a release yoke having a finger, a seat in said finger, {Iaging said seat, means restricting movement of said bearing in a transverse direcbearing in Isaid seat and permitting the bearing to adjust itself relative to the seat.

3. In a friction clutch, thecombination of a release sleeve, a release yoke havingl a finger, and a bearing mounted on said finger to engage said sleeve, said bearing being adjustable in one direction relative to the finger a bearing endiametrically of said sleeve to enga e the s1eeve,said bearings being automatica l adjustable in said fingers, and spring ho ders having portions. seatedl directly in and engaging the bearings and the lingers for vyieldingly securing the bearings to the 'separate non-rotatable bearing blocks of antifriction material mounted on said fingers to engage said sleeve, and means` restricting movement of said bearing blocks in a transv verse direction.

6. In a friction clutch, the combination of a release sleeve, a release `yoke having a iinger, and a bearing mountedon said finger to/engage said sleeve, said linger having a' HAROLD v. REED. 

